On March 7, members of the K-pop group NewJeans appeared at the Seoul Central District Court. They were there for the first hearing of their legal battle with their agency, ADOR. This lawsuit aims to stop NewJeans from pursuing independent activities while their contract situation is unresolved.
All five members participated voluntarily, even though they weren’t legally required to. The main issue at hand is whether they were justified in ending their contracts. ADOR claims the members acted without cause, while NewJeans argues they felt forced to leave due to alleged unfair treatment from HYBE, ADOR’s parent company.
During the hearing, ADOR’s lawyers highlighted the company’s role in the group’s swift rise to fame. They emphasized that the success of NewJeans was not just about the members’ talent but also the hard work of over 50 staff, including stylists and choreographers.
However, ADOR raised concerns about the group’s announcement of their new name, NJZ, and their attempts to sign with another agency, stating these actions violated their contract. They also claimed that allegations of unfair treatment from HYBE were misplaced since issues like profit distribution weren’t part of the current dispute.
NewJeans’ legal team presented a contrasting view. They argued that ADOR did not protect the members from discrimination within HYBE, making the contract invalid. They asserted that ADOR’s failure to intervene was a significant oversight, and no other agency would stand by in similar circumstances.
The lawyers pointed out a serious issue: the firing of Min Hee-jin, the former CEO of ADOR. They claimed this dismissal was an act of bad faith that affected the group significantly.
Each member of NewJeans expressed their feelings during the hearing. Haerin mentioned feeling “helpless” as she watched their reputation suffer without ADOR’s support. Danielle shared her fears for Min during media attacks. Hyein called out ADOR for allegedly favoring HYBE and not standing up for the group. Hanni criticized HYBE for pretending to support them while blocking their progress. Minji spoke of the anxiety and stress they faced leading up to their comeback.
In November 2024, the group announced they were terminating their contracts, citing breaches by ADOR. Since then, they’ve begun independent work. ADOR responded by filing injunctions to restrict the group, insisting that the contracts were still in effect.
The court is now seeking more evidence from both sides, with the next hearing scheduled for March 14.
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